How life has changed in Rochford

Rochford's population increased by about 4,800 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 83,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Rochford increased by 6.1%, from just under 78,500 to 83,300.

The addition of almost 4,800 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Rochford was home to, on average, 3.5 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Rochford

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Rochford increased by four years, from 40 to 44 years.

This area had a higher average age than Eastof England and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 2,600 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 13.0% of people in Rochford are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Rochford by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Rochford

The percentage of Rochford residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 7.5% to 7.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.5%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.7% in 2001. The percentage of Rochford residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 89.8% to 88.7%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased faster here than in any other local authority district across Eastof England. The improvement brought health in Rochford close to the national average 6.5% in England described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

More homes with adult children living with their parents

Rochford saw Eastof England's second-largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just under one in eight (12.2%) households in Rochford had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 10.9% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 29.8% to 29.2%.

Across the region, only Stevenage saw a greater rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 8.8% to 10.4%).

During this period, Rochford overtook Epping Forest and Thurrock to become the Eastof England local authority area with the third-highest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Rochford

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Rochford was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.2 points.

In 2011, 30.1% of respondents in Rochford gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 16.9% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.2% to 30.0%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Rochford, 68.3% said they were Christian, compared with 81.9% in 2001. About 0.4% said they were Muslim, compared with 0.2% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism increased from 0.2% to 0.4%.

In Rochford, 7.2% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.4% in 2001. Across Eastof England, 7.2% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Rochford increased by 13 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, East and Rochford by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Rochford that rented privately increased from 4.9% to 8.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage that lived in social housing remained close to 8.3%, while the percentage of Rochford households that owned their home decreased from 85.5% to 82.9%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.6% in 2001 to 14.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Rochford increased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Rochford, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Rochford

The percentage of single people in Rochford increased from 22.6% to 26.0% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (55.7%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 59.7% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Rochford that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 9.5% to 10.8%.

The proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 27.4% in 2001 to 31.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 30.5% to 34.9%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Rochford working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 15.0% to 11.9% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.8% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 14.7% in 2001 to 11.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Rochford decreased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Rochford, Eastof England and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Rochford residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.2% to 4.3% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82.7%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 71.1% in 2001. The percentage of Rochford residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21.7% to 13.0%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Rochford decreased by 2.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Rochford, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Rochford

In 2011, 97.2% of Rochford residents said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 98.3% in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people from one of the White ethnic groups fell from 94.9% to 90.4%, while across England the percentage went from 90.7% to 85.1%.

Around 1.1% of people in Rochford said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.6% in 2001. About 1.1% said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 0.7% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.2% to 0.5%.

The population from one of the White ethnic groups in Rochford decreased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Rochford by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Rochford, which comprised a single parent, increased from 7.0% to 7.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (41.6%) households had a married couple, compared with 44.9% in 2001. The percentage of households in Rochford, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.6% to 9.3%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.1% in 2001 to 9.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Rochford residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.9% to 1.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.9%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 0.9% in 2001 to 1.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Rochford remained close to 1.2%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Rochford by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Rochford residents that were studying increased from 2.2% to 2.4% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in two (54.2%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 54.8% in 2001. While the percentage of Rochford residents that were unemployed increased from 2.1% to 3.0%.

The proportion of students increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.3% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were in education across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

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